Diaper Bag Essentials: Newborn through Toddlerhood

The Essentials:

Alright, its finally time to get out of the house with your newborn, getting out of the house for the first time can be very nerve wreaking, what do I take? when will the baby need to eat? where will I feed him or her? where will I change my baby’s diaper? how long do I have until they start fussing? It truly is a practice makes perfect type of situation. To make things easier for you, here is a guide of what to pack in your diaper bag so that you don’t forget anything on your outings. This guide will also cover what to pack in your diaper bag when your baby turns into a toddler.

I do have a couple recommendations for diaper bags as well. I always recommend a backpack diaper bag to keep your hands free while out and about, this way you can tend to your little if needed. My absolute favorite backpack diaper bag is the Freshly Picked Backpack, it’s very roomy and made extremely well. The freshly picked is my current diaper bag, and I have been using it for months and it still looks brand new. The Honest Company City  Backpack in Cognac is also a great choice and is husband friendly. The Honest Company City is similar to the Freshly picked but has more of a relaxed look. Both of these diaper bags are very stylish, are made of faux leather, and come in many color options. You will be guaranteed to feel like a hot mamma wearing either of these bags and both will last you through toddlerhood and provide you with the space you will need!

Infant (0-12 Months)

  • Burp Cloths

I always kept a couple in my bag during the early months, just in case the spit up becomes out of control. The Little Unicorn Muslin Cotton Burp cloths were our favorite, they come in gender neutral prints and hold up wonderfully through the thousands of washes they will have.

  • Bandana Bibs

While feeding my daughter I would put a bandana bib on her, just in case the milk drooled out of her mouth, this helped keep her outfit fresh. You can also use these as burp cloths if you’re in a pinch. These days bibs are very stylish and you can even find them to match your child’s outfit. I often just left the bib on our daughter while shopping that way if she spit up the bib would catch it and I wouldn’t have to dig through my diaper bag for a burp cloth. These are always handy to have on the go.

  • Changing Mat

I still dread using public bathroom changing tables to change my daughter; if I have the option I change her in the trunk or backseat of our car, its much cleaner! Regardless of where you change your little one you will want a changing mat that is compact so it doesn’t take up all the space in your diaper bag. My favorite is the JL Childress Full Body Portable Changing Pad. This changing pad is simple, compact, and is large enough when unfolded to assure that your little one will not be touching the changing tables.

  • Copper Pearl Nursing Cover

This was my favorite item to take on the go, it has so many uses! Obviously if your nursing this works great while out in public, you can also use it to cover your carseat while shopping to keep strangers germs away from your wee one.

  • Diapers

This is a no brainer, our current favorite diapers are the Pampers Pure if your still on the hunt for which kinds to use. I recommend keeping at least 5 diapers in your bag at all times!

  • Wipes

Huggies natural care baby wipes in carrying case is our favorite way to travel with wipes. The carrying case is a soft shell (which is hard to find, most are hard and take up a ton of space) and can be refilled with whatever type of wipe you like, perfect for on the go!

  • Wet Bag

Blowouts will happen, especially with the way our babies are positioned in their carseats… it will go straight up their backs! Wet bags are great for storing the mess and they also conceal the smell if you are out and about. Once you get home you can Spray and Wash the clothes and wash and bleach out the wet bag! This is a must have.

  • Spare Clothes

Have an extra outfit in your diaper bag in case of a poop or spit up mess, you will need it!

  • Teether

Keep your little occupied while shopping, I recommend having a teether with a clip for out and about so your little one cannot throw it onto the dirty ground.

  • Binky

Have a  binky with a clip handy in your diaper bag if you’re in a pinch and your baby is fussing.

  • Aquaphor Mini

I love keeping Aquaphor in my diaper bag, its just the right size and can be used if your little one has a diaper rash or if their skin is chapped.

  • Bottle, Formula, and Bottled Water

If you are using formula then these things are a must.

  • Honest Company Hand Sanitizer Spray

Keep your hands clean while on the go with this gentle hand sanitizer. Also use this to wipe down things like carts and tables, I just spray the sanitizer onto one of her wipes and it works great!

  • Wallet

Don’t forget your wallet, I do recommend downsizing if your wallet is on the larger size, regardless of how large your diaper bag is there is a lot of items in a diaper bag, you don’t want your wallet taking up majority of the space.

  • Blankets

We always keep a spare blanket in our vehicle just in case it is needed, this is not something I would keep in my diaper bag but  having one in the car has become very handy. I also try and keep a few extra diapers in there just in case I am in a hurry out the door and forgot to replenish them in my diaper bag.

Toddler (12 -24 months)

What is no longer needed from the infant list?

  • Bottle, formula, bottled water: that is if your done doing formula at this stage
  • Wet Bag: Yes…finally blowouts should be few and far apart!
  • Burp Cloths: No more spit up, Hooray!
  • Binky: you may or may not still use this

Items to add to diaper bag

  • On the go Snacks

We love taking fruit bars because they are travel friendly and don’t take up a lot of space. We also always have a few organic squeeze pouches in our diaper bag in case our daughter becomes hangry.

  • Portable Place Mat

Now that your little one is most likely eating with you when you visit restaurants, place mats become a very important tool for avoiding all the germs and bacteria that lurk on those tables.

  • Sippy Cup

Keeping your wee one hydrated in very important at this stage, when choosing your diaper bag be sure there is space on the outside of the bag for sippy cups!

  • Copper Pearl Nursing Covers

You may still be using these for nursing purposes but now it serves a couple more purposes. The Copper Pearl Nursing Covers can be used on carts so you don’t need to purchase a bulky cart cover, and you can also use these on restaurant high chairs. I love these so much, they are a life saver!

  • Spare Clothes

I have not needed my spare clothes since my daughter has become a toddler but I still keep a spare just in case there is an oops!

My wish for you is that you can now confidentially get out there with your little one knowing that you have everything you need to have a successful outing!